In and out of darkness
by greystreet
Summary: COMPLETE!!!!!! final chapters are finally uploaded. M/L
1. Default Chapter

disclaimer: i dont own any of the characters in this story. cameron&co can sue me if they want, but they arent going to get much out of it.  
  
A/N: I started writing this over the summer, and it takes place some time in the middle of season 1. I wasnt planning on posting this, and its my first real story that i posted, so reviews would be great, i thrive on constructive critisism. Also, i have to thank Michelle Drake (gypsychic04@c4.com), for reading all of the chapters over, and fixing all of my horrible mistakes, and also for convincing me to post it. so here it is:

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Max walked through the door of Jam Pony, but before she could get both feet inside the building, Normal confronted her "Just where have you been missy? It has been two hours since you left here with one package. How do you expect me to run an efficiant place of business, when my employees disappear?"   
  
"Did you bother to take a look outside yet today Normal?" Max interrupted. "It snowed last night, then there was freezing rain, and now it's just rain. When all those things happen it creates a thick, heavy, wet layer of snow on the ground, almost impossible to walk in and even more impossible to ride in. Now I'm gonna eat my lunch." She said as she walked over to the table where Cindy was eating. 

"Hey boo," Cindy said. "Lovley weather we having huh?" 

"Only the best for sunny Seattle," Max replied sarcastically. 

"You okay boo? You looking kinda pale." Cindy noticed. 

"I'm fine, just tired," Max answered. The truth was however that she had been having seizures all night, and she was still shakey. 

"Okay." Cindy let the issue drop. "Are you gonna be at Crash with us tonight?" 

"I've got plans, but maybe tomorrow." Max was going to be going to Logan's for dinner, because he said he had some information about a second escape from Manticore. 

"Do your plans include rollerboy?" Cindy asked, practically reading her mind. 

"Yeah." Max said as Cindy raised an eyebrow. 

"Whatcha' all gonna' be doin'?" 

"Why is that important?" Max was starting to get annoyed with Cindy. 'Even if I wanted to be more than friends, he doesnt think of me like that, we are way too different,' she thought. 

"Don't get offended. Original Cindy was just wondering what you two will be doing all night. You spend way more time over there than you do at your own home." Max was saved from answering by Normal, who chucked a package at them. 

"Lunch break's over. Bip Bip Bip!" yelled Noraml in his constipated tone of voice. 

"See ya," Max said as she took the package and rode out into the rain. The streets of Seattle were practicaly empty. No one who could avoid it, would go out in weather like this. Max was about half way to her destination when she started to shake again. "Damnit!" she muttered, and she steered her bike over to the side of the road near a building. She fumbled through her bag looking for her tryptophan. She found it and took a few pills. She suddenly sensed someone coming up to her from behind. She turned around, just quick enough to see a metal pipe connecting solidly with her forehead. She collapsed immediately. 

The man who had swung the pipe picked her up and said to the other two men, "Open the trunk and bring the car around." He then put her in the trunk of the car and shot her up with tranquilizer. "Keep her sedated," ordered the man who had hit her. They then started driving down the abandoned street. None of them noticed the figure that had been standing on the corner the whole time, and had seen everything. 

They had driven for about an hour when they stopped at an intersection. "I'm hungry, let's stop at the next place we see and get something to eat," said the man that had hit max with the pipe. 

"Do you think that's a good idea boss? Especially with that girl in the trunk. What if she wakes up?" the man sitting next to him said. 

"She's locked in a fucking trunk. She's not going anywhere," the first guy replied. 

"Besides, she shot up with enough tranqulizer to keep and elephant asleep for a month," the third man, sitting in the back seat said. 

"Yeah, but the man said that she was special or something. He told us not to leave her alone for a second," the second guy commented. 

"So we'll shoot her up with more tranquilizer and then we'll go get something to eat," the first guy suggested. With that he pulled over and they all got out of the car. They got out of the car and looked around. Seeing no one who seemed interested in what they were doing, they opened the trunk and gave her thirty cc's more tranquilizer. They then walked down the street and into a run down coffee shop. If they had looked around more carefully, they would have noticed the same figure that was watching them one hour back, was standing on the other side of the street.   
  
  
TBC  
  
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thanks for reading :) if you like it...review. if you hate it...review. either way i want to know what y'all think of it.  
---peace


	2. aften

disclaimer: same as last chapter  
  
  
A/N: I decided to post this chapter along w/ the last one because it's so short. After this i promise, it will become much more interesting. As always thanks to Michelle Drake for making this story readable.  
  
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The figure that had been standing on the other side of the sidewalk was a sixteen year old girl, named Aften, called Aft by her closest friends. She was tall, almost five foot nine, with a medium and strong looking build. She was wearing faded carpenter jeans, a t-shirt, and an unbuttoned flannel shirt. Her unruley dark hair was tied up in a pony tail. She watched as the three men walked down the street and disappeared into the coffee shop. Then she went into action, slowly approaching the car and popping open the hood. She fiddled with some wires for about ten minutes before it started. She smiled, hopped into the driver's seat, and drove further away from Seattle. After about a half an hour, when she was positive that no one was following her, she turned the car around and headed back torwards Seattle. She did not drive directly to her destination, but drove around for two hours, just for precautionary measures. Then she pulled off onto an alley and stopped the car. She opened the trunk and easily put Max onto her shoulders. She carried her to an old warehouse.

Anyone who went into the warehouse could tell someone lived there. Off to one side of the large main room was the kitchen area. In there was a refridgerator, table, and stove, as well as some dishes and a sink. On the opposite side of the room, there was some furnature, a television, a stereo sysem, and an old accustic guitar leaning against the wall. On the far side there were miscellaneous pieces of musical equiptment, including a drum set and some amps.

The girl carried Max to the couch and laid her there. She covered her up with an old blanket, then went into the kitchen area to make a sandwich. She turned on the radio while she ate, then let the music surround her as she drifted off to sleep.

Machine gun shots rang out in the dark, followed by cries of pain. Two people fall to the ground. Aften falls with them and drags them behind the bar. She stares down at their faces, grimaces of pain, and can feel the warm blood coming from their open wounds as she tries to stop the blood from flowing. From the other side of the bar the voices are cruel and laughing "Well I think we got all of them, and all we needed was the girl. The boss will be happy with us." Aften looked to see them leaving the bar, she would never forget their faces. Then she looked back down at her two best friends dying on the ground. She tried desperately to tell them it would be okay, but all she coul say was "Dont die . . . please . . . don't leave me here alone...i'm sorry" Then everything faded away and she was truly alone. Darkness swallows her and she's locked in a small grey room, the walls are slowly closing in around her, slowly crushing her.

Aften woke with a start. She hadn't had that dream in almost a week, but it was different this time, more real, because those men were now in Seattle. She knew it because those were the men that had grabbed Max earlier. Aften got up and went to the refridgerator and got out a can of beer, and went to check on Max. Max was seizing again, so Aften went to the cupboards in the kitchen and got out a bottle of tryptophan and forced three pills down Max's throat. After doing that she picked up her guitar and started playing, putting all of her emotions into a sad, melodic strumming.

  
Logan was worried sick. Max was supposed to have been at his place at eight, and it was now eleven thirty. She hadn't answered his first few pages, that was not like her at all. All Logan could do was wheel from one room to another, waiting. He hated it, the chair, it made him feel helpless, and insignificant. 'That's why we could never work out as a couple,' Logan thought about him and Max. 'I would only let her down and slow her down.' He tried to brush away feelings of self-angst and picked up the phone. He dialed her pager number for the seventh time in four hours. He waited fifteen minutes. Then the phone rang. He rushed to pick it up "Hello." then he paused and listened to the person on the other side. "Where is she? Is she okay?" He could feel his heart pounding. If anything happened to her, he didnt know what he would do. "34th street and Lessard Road?" he confirmed with the person on the other end. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes"   
  
  
TBC  
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so tell me what you think, is it worth the time to finish posting the story. If i get some reviews, I'll post sooner. It does get more exciting, and a little shippery by the end, but the first few chapters are slow moving.   
  
--peace 


	3. chap 3

disclaimer: i dont own DA, or anything involved w/ the show.   
  
A/N: First off, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed, i wasn't sure if i was going to continue to post, but as long as people review, I'll continue posting. Also thankyou Michelle Drake for proof reading all the chapters.  
  
  
  
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It took Logan ten minutes to drive to the corner of 34th street and Lessard road. He hurried to the door of the warehouse on the corner and knocked twice. "Come on," he muttered to himself impatiently. Aften swung the door open and invited him in. "Where is she?" he asked, genuinely concerned "Is she okay?" 

"Well I'm no doctor," Aften said, leading him to the couch, where Max was laying, "but she's gonna' have one hell of a headache when she comes too. Between the blow to the head and the traquilizer, damnit." She cringed at the thought. "She's gonna be hurtin' for a while."

"Whoa," Logan interrupted. "What blow to the head and tranquilizers? I thought you said she was seizing?" 

"She was," Aften answered. "That's why i didnt get to tell you what happened."

"Well, what the hell happened?" He asked as he rolled up next to Max and took her hand in his.

"Well," Aften began, "she was riding her bike or something, when these three guys hit her with a pipe and shoved her in the trunk. They were big, but stupid. They left her without a guard, and I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. So I got myself a new car and got your girlfriend out of the trunk."

"She's not my girlfriend," he said quickly. 

"Oh." 'For a friend he sure holds her hand a little tight,' she thought.

"But, thank you," Logan said. "If there is anything I can ever do to repay you just let me know." He wrote his number on a piece of paper. "My name's Logan Cale. I don't think that I ever got your name?"

"Aften Davids," she replied.

"Well, I think I should probably take her back to my place now. Thank you so much again," Logan said gratefully.

"Yeah, no problem," Aften said "Let me help you carry her to the car at least." Logan didn't object. When Aften bent down to pick Max up, Logan could clearly see a barcode on the back of her neck.

"So how old are you?" Logan asked curiously.

"16," the girl replied. "Why?"

"Just curious," Logan answered. "You seem kind of young to be living alone, that's all." 'Too young to be an X-5,' he thought a little confused by this mystery that was beginning to form.

"I can take care of myself pretty well," Aften replied, placing Max carefully on the back seat of Logan's car. 

"Thanks so much again," Logan said, "and if you ever need anything, just let me know. I'm more than happy to help you out a little, after what you did for me."

"It was no big deal," Aften replied. "Take care of yourselves."

With that, Aften walked back into her home and collapsed on the couch. She wasn't tired so she grabbed her guitar, stared up at the high ceiling in the warehouse, and started playing, after a while she started singing. "All at once the ghosts they come back reeling in me now. Oh, tell me what if they came down crushing. Me and you, we used to play for all of the lonliness, that nobody notices now. Oh I'm speeding fast into nowhere . . . "

Logan placed Max gently on his couch, and covered her with a blanket. His curiosity overpowered his will to sit next to her and watch her sleep, or fall asleep himself. He had to find out if Aften was somehow related to Manticore. An hour and a half later, he was fast asleep at his computer desk. Max woke up early the next morning. She was immediatly overcome by a horrific headache, so she laid back down to scope out her surroundings. It didn't take her very long to figure out where she was, but she was having trouble remembering exactly what happened. She was just about to try and get up again, when Logan came rolling into the living room. "Hey," he greeted, a little worried about her. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel like my head's going to explode, but other than that I'm okay- I guess," she replied, then pausing a moment. "What happened anyway?"

"Why don't you have some breakfast and I'll explain while we eat," Logan said, as they both went to the table. While they ate, Logan told Max about the three guys hitting her, and ended by telling her about Aften and the barcode on the back of Aften's neck.

"I'm assuming that you have a theory?" Max asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Logan said. "And if my informant comes through, I should have the proof to back it up," he started wheeling torwards the computer room, and Max followed him. "Remember why I called you over last night?" he asked her.

"Yeah, you said you had some info for me," Max remembered.

"Right," Logan said. "Remember on the night of the escape Zack got recaptured, then escaped again. Well, the second time, he didn't escape alone. He brought a four year old X-6 with him. For some reason this X-6 was being kept isolated from the others. According to the documents that my source got me," Logan pulled up a new screen on the computer, "this particular X-6 showed resentment to Manticore at an early age, and instead of killing her they kept her for observation. Well, somehow Zach got a hold of her, and helped her to escape." 

"Makes sense," Max said. "Zack took responsibility for each younger sibling he had, X-5 or not."

"I'm going to see if my informant can come through with more information on Aften," Logan said. "I got the feeling that she was lying when she told me that she had no clue who those three guys were. Until then, maybe you should try and get some more rest, you look tired. I'll call Normal for you, and you can use the guest room." Logan didnt have to work very hard to convince her to get some sleep because the tranquilizers had not really worn off fully yet. 

TBC  
  


A/N: so what do you think? (i know its another slow chapter, but it will get more exciting) is it getting better? worse? believe me i want to know either way :) if i get some reviews, i'll post the next chapter within the next few days. thanks for reading!  
  
--peace


	4. questions and dinner

disclaimer: i dont own them  
  
  
A/N: sorry that this chapter is so short, next chapter will be longer.  
  
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Outside of Logan's penthouse, the rain was pounding against the side of the building. Inside, however, there was a very pleasent atmosphere. Max had only woken up once all day, and although Logan would never admit it to anyone, including himself, he enjoyed sitting at her bedside and watching her sleep. But like always, curiousity caused him to be sitting in front of the blue glow of the computer screen, in the dark. He was deeply involved in he happened to be looking at, he didn't see Max walk in and stand behind his chair until she inquired him about what he was looking at.

"What's that?" she asked nodding towards the screen.

"Manticore records for Aften," Logan said. "I've been comparing them to the other X-6's, and there is alot of information that just doesn't add up at all."

"Like what?" Max asked.

"Well, starting with the fact that Aften was born in 2003. The other X-6's were born at least a full year earlier, you'd think that by then Manticore would already be working on the X-7 project." Logan paused, "then there's the fact that she was kept completely isolated from the X-6's. There is never any record of her participating in any training excercises, or tactical lessons."

"Well you said that she was being kept under surveilence for disobeidiance towards Manticore," Max pointed out trying to piece the mystery together as well.

"That's what the intial document had said. But after researching further, there is not a trace of her in the records until 2007, when she was already four. There's not even a document saying that she was born. There is for all of the other kids." Logan said

"They have records saying when we were born?" Max repeated. "Do they have our birth mother's names on them?"

" Sorry, they only have genetic information, barcode number, designation, and inteded rank." Logan looked apologetic, he knew howmuch finding her family meant to her.

"Didn't expect them to," Max said a little let down and disappointed. 

"I'll try to get some more information, but maybe tomorrow you can talk to Aften, if those three guys could find you once, I'm sure they'll try to again. Maybe she'll give you some info that she wouldn't tell me. But in the meantime do you want some dinner?" Logan asked. "You hardly ate anything all day, and you can't go home in this weather." As if to puncuate his last statement, a bright flash followed by loud thunder sent Seattle into a brown-out. "See," he said with a smile, never more happier to have a storm before, any excuse to have dinner with Max was a good one.

"I'm not going to argue against a culinary miracle," Max said with a smile. "I'll find some candles and set the table while you cook."  
"Sounds good to me," Logan replied with a smile of his own, and the both went off to preform their assigned tasks.   
  
  
TBC  
  


I know...this chapter was even shorter and more pointless than the first three, but i had to put it in there. Next chapter will be posted as soon as i finish it, it starts getting more exciting after this, i promise. thanks for reading, remember to review.  
  
-peace


	5. answers?

  
disclaimer: i dont own them 

AN: sorry its taken me so long to post this chapter, i've been grounded from the computer because of a few progress reports from school (it seems teachers dont like it when you fall asleep during their lectures on triangles or whatever). now i can use the computer on weekends only, so if i get the next chapter typed up before tomarrow, i'll post it. if not then tune in again next weekend for the next update. (i know all of you cant wait, all five of you that've read it)   
  
  


Aften sat by the window watching the heavy rain pouring down. It had   
stopped at around mid-night, but started up strong again at one, and has been   
raining steadily since. The warehouse was completly dark, except for the   
small red ember of the cigarette in Aften's hand. As soon as Aften put it   
out, she got out another, and lit up. Aften usually wasnt a chain smoker,   
or even a heavy smoker, but seeing the three men that had grabbed Max made her   
nervous and everytime she tried to sleep, she had the same nightmare, the   
darkness, lauging voices, and her dying friends, that was enough to keep   
her from falling asleep. She was extremely worried that the three men   
would some how find her. She knew why they wanted Max, and she knew that   
they wouldnt stop until they got her. The thought of anyone having to   
suffer the fate that they would have to endure if the three men got a hold of   
them, was enough to make Aften reach for the phone and paper with Logan's number   
on it. 'Damn concious.' she thought as she dialed the number and listened   
to the rings.   
"Hello?" Logan answered the phone sounding tired, Aften looked at the clock, it   
was two a.m. 

"Mr. Cale?" Aften asked to make sure she had the right number 

"Who's this?" Logan quickly responded. Judging by the slightly paranoid tone of voice, Aften was sure she had dialed right.   
  
"It's Aften." she said "Is Max still staying with you?"   
  
"No," Logan replied "she left around midnight, when the weather calmed   
down. Why?"   
  
"Well," Aften said "I just wanted to warn you guys, those three that had her   
before, they wont stop looking for her, and they know where to go to get   
her. You should probably take her out of the city for a while."   
  
"I have a place she can stay." Logan said hurridly, suddenly feeling the need to   
call Max and see if she was okay. He really couldnt stand the thought of   
losing her. "I'm going to call her now and make sure that she's home."   
  
"Bye." Aften said, and hung up the phone. She had noticed how   
Logan's attitude had changed at the mention of Max's name, "Sure   
he doesnt care about her," she said to herself sarcastically, and started   
staring out at the rain again.   
  
As soon as Logan hung up the phone he dialed Max's home phone and waited anxiously   
while it rang. "Its two o'clock in the goddamn mornin, an' original cindy's   
got to be at work in four hours so this had better be important." Original   
Cindy had picked up the phone 

"Is Max there?" Logan asked   
  
"I thought you had her at your place, sick with whatever nerological condition   
she's got or something of that sort?" cindy replied 

"She left two hours ago, she said she was going to go strait home cause she was   
tired." Logan said worridly   
  
"Listen boo, she probably came in and couldnt sleep, so she took her baby   
out. It aint unusual for her to stay out all night, she dont sleep much at   
all." Cindy said confidently "She's a big girl, and can take care of   
herself. Now original Cindy needs to get some shut eye before facing   
Normal's screeching tommarow. I'll have her call you." and with that Cindy   
hung the phone up. Logan couldnt feel as certain that Max was out as Cindy   
did. So he wheeled over to the computer and turned it on. Then he   
called Sebastian.   
  
"Hello," the mechanized voice of Sebastian answered 

"Hey, Sebastian it's me." Logan said "I need you to do me a favor. Can you   
check some databases of junkyards and such to see if anyone brought in a   
motorcyle. A ninja 650, black. Then could you let me know the   
registration number if you find one."   
  
"Sure thing." Sebastian replied "If you want to hold on, I can   
run a search   
now." 

"Thanks alot." Logan said and waited for Sebastian to reply   
  
"Logan?" Sebastian asked after about five minutes   
  
"Yeah." Logan replied   
  
"In Seattle, I've got a ninja 650 that was sold to a junkyard at one this   
morning and one that was sold at nine thirty last night." 

"What's the registration for the first one?" Logan asked begining to feel butterflies in   
the pit of his stomach.   
  
"0109674136" Sebastian said. 

"Thanks alot." Logan said writing down the number, and then he hung up the phone   
and went to his computer. He hacked into the department of motor vehicles   
record books, and ran the registration. The black ninja was registered to   
max guavera."that doesnt really mean anything," Logan said to himself "someone   
could have stolen it off the street and sold it." he tried to shake off   
the uneasy feeling that was growing stronger with each passing second. He   
picked up the phone and dialed her pager number. He stared at his computer   
screen and tried to think of where she might be, she was definatly not at her   
house or with her motorcyle on the streets. She could be at Crash, he   
considered. After the pulse, the laws that had forbade bars to be open   
past a certain time had become insignificant, and now some bars stayed open as   
late as four am. Logan decided to check out Crash, even if Max   
wasn't there now, maybe someone had talked to her and knew where she was.   
As he was driving to Crash, he couldn't help but think of Max. He really   
didnt think that he could bear to loose her now, especially since she had been   
coming over so often and seemed so comfortable with him. 

When he walked into Crash, it was practically empty, "probably not unusual for a   
tuesday night at 3 am." he thought. He walked up to the bar "Umm,   
I'm looking for someone that i thought might have been here earlier." he told   
the bartender, "her name's Max, i dont know if you know   
her?"   
  
"Yeah I know who your talking about." the bartender replied "Sorry though pal,   
i havent seen her around here in a few days."   
  
"Thanks anyway." Logan replied with a heavy feeling of disappointment, now he   
really had no clue where she could be. 

He turned aroun and started towards   
the door, when a person sitting at the end of the bar called to him, "Can't find Max?" Logan noticed for the first time that Aften had been   
sitting at the far end of the bar near the wall. He walked up to   
where she was sitting,   
  
"No, I cant, and neither can anyone else." he stopped for a second "But   
I'd bet you know something, right? You knew that those three men were   
going to try and grab her again, and i'd bet that you know who those three work   
for too." 

"Your right," Aften said "but we can't talk about it here, besides it's almost   
closing time. We can go to my place, it's right around the corner."   
She threw some money down on the bar and both of them walked out into the   
rain.  
  


TBC  
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an: so please read and review, tell me if i'm keeping you interested. thankyou to those of you who did review, i'm going to try and add more detail in the chapters to come.   


-peace 


	6. ch 6

disclaimer: i dont own them 

AN: well here's the next chapter. i hope the format is okay, my computer's stupid, and decided not to work, so i have to use my aunts, and she has a different word program.   
  
  
  
  
  


Logan started walking torwards his car, which was parked on the street in front of Crash. "It'd be faster to just walk," Aften stated "I live right across the street." Logan   
noticed really for the first time exactly where he was, his thoughts were mostly   
focused on Max, what he would do if he was to lose her, and anger for having to   
let someone else do the work of actually getting her back. 'No matter how   
good I am with computers, I cant exactly do a cable hack and tell whoever has   
her to let her go.' Logan thought hoplessly as he followed   
Aften who, figureing he was probably thinking of her, continued talking.   
"Yeah, I have a pretty good place to live right now, I mean check out the   
location, I dont even have to walk five minutes to get to Crash, and there's the   
Casa Bar right down the street." Aften felt sorry for Logan, she could   
imagine how he felt, thinking that he lost someone so close to him. Hell   
she could remember how it felt to lose someone. She opened the door of her place, and let Logan in. 

"So where's Max?" Logan got right to the point, "I know that you   
know." by this point he was impacient and a little angry, he figured all   
this time spent could be the difference between life or death for Max,   
especially if Lydecker got his hands on her. 

"Well," Aften began to start up the Mac in the corner of the room, behind the enormus   
drum set, "I'm not exactly sure of where she is now, but I'm pretty sure I can   
tell you where she's headed, and if we plan it just right, we can get her out   
before they start the program on her."   
"What program?" Logan asked worriedly, wondering how Max would deal if she   
had to go back to Manticore, she hated it so much, and personally Logan   
believed that she was scared of it. 

"It would be like," Aften paused for a second while she started typing,   
then continued "like reindocternation, but more like an introduction to the   
institution. You know, some brain washing, physical and mental torture to   
break the spirit." Logan tensed at the thought of anyone trying that on Max, and   
Aften started typing again until she seemed to get where she wanted to be   
"hell yeah, i knew i could get in here!" a new page popped up on the   
screen. Logan looked closly at the screen, he couldnt make heads or tails   
of the information written on the page because it was written in Russian.   
Aften hit a few keys and the whole thing was translated to English   
instantly. "Honestly," she said "reading Russian in fucking annoying."   
  
"Whats this?" Logan asked 

"You didnt think the United States was the only country that was looking to create a   
perfect killer did you?" Aften asked. Logan was silent, trying to piece   
information together, Aften continued with an explination. "The study of   
genetics really started during World War two with Hitler's infamous expariments   
on twins. All the information the Nazi scientists gained was kept in an   
orderly fashion at each of the camps. When the allies would capture camps   
they took the papers, at least the ones that were still intact, and used them to   
further their own genetic research programs. Some were done publicly, but   
most, like Manticore were kept off the books and out of the public eye.   
After WWII, the arms race began between the US and the USSR, both countries   
having captured the information from camps, they began to develop, among the   
neuclear and biological agents, covert genetics programs to design a perfect   
soldier. The KGB had worked with the GRU to keep this strictly off the   
books, and was mainly paid for by diverted tax money from Iraq and the swiss   
bank acounts of many anti-Americans. It was located in desolate regions   
of Siberia, and was unknown of to even some of the top officials. After 1991, they moved it to Northern Alaska. Because this did not depend on the Soviet government it was not   
effected by the fall of Communism in the USSR."   
  
"This is all interesting, but how does it help us?" Logan asked when Aften   
paused for a few seconds 

"Well, the people who have Max work for this project. They've been dying   
to get their hands on a transgenic because their program was not as successful   
as that of Manticore. The only transgenics they were able to create, were   
stolen from Manticore in test-tubes and brought to headquarters that way.   
Even out of the twenty that were stolen, only fifteen made it to birth, and most   
of those were lost in an attack on thier forward base of operations in the   
United States by Manticore, those who didnt die were taken to Manticore for   
further training, they were only three or four at the time of the   
attack." 

"Thats where your from." Logan said quickly, he had been trying to piece the   
information together as Aften spoke, and now he had it figured out. "You   
were originally from the other project, thats why there's no record of your   
birth on Manticore files."   
  
"That's right." Aften quickly shrugged off the surprise of Logan's   
conclusion. "I'm the only survivor out of the original twenty test tubes,   
and thats only because I was lucky enough to get out of that fucking   
hell-hole." she paused for a second, then changed the subject away from   
her. "Anyway, that same KGB-GRU joint project is looking to restart a   
transgenic program, but first they need a transgenic. The three men who   
grabbed Max work for that program. They'll take her to their forward base   
in the forest of North-Western Alaska, and when they get her there, she's good   
as dead in a week." Aften immediatly regreted her choice of words as she   
watched Logan's face change rapidly from a look of hope that they could get her   
back to a look of pure dispair at the thought, then to grave   
determination.   
  
"Where is this base?" Logan asked, fully intending to drive up to it, 'damn the   
consequences, I've at least got to try.'   
  
"I've got co-ordinates, but there's no way in hell I'm letting you go up there   
alone, they'll just kill you, and continue torturing her. Then nobody   
wins. I'll come with, and while you drive, I can come up with a quick and   
easy way to get her out." Aften said 

"It's not your fight." Logan said quickly without thinking. 

"Its my fight more than it is yours," Aften said, a look of pure hatred and pain   
came over her face, "Not only did they torture me as a small child, they follow   
me into the world, and when I try to have a normal life, they take away   
everything of importance in my life. Of course its my fight!" Logan looked slightly taken aback, Aften had seemed so cool, calm, and totally laid back, everything she had said before was kind of non-chelant but now their was a fire burning behind her   
eyes, along with emense pain. Logan had seen this before in Max, this pain   
that could not be fully described with words. Aften started walking out of   
the room to the kitchen, she arrived back in the room with a bottle of Jack   
Daniels and a glass. "Want a drink?" she asked quietly, Logan nodded, she   
filled the glass and handed it to him "Dont worry man, we'll get your girl back   
for you." Logan didnt bother to correct Aften by pointing out that   
Max wasn't his girl, he just nodded. Aften poured a large glass for   
herself and said to Logan "We leave in the morning, first we'll stop by your   
place so you can grab some things, then we head straight for Alaska. You   
should probably try to get some sleep, you can have the loft, theres a mattress   
up there, and some blankets, but nothing   
fancy."   
  
"That'll be fine." Logan said, although with knowing whether Max was okay,   
he doubted his ability to sleep. He went up the narrow step ladder to the   
loft and laid down on the mattress, he looked at his surroundings and found   
pictures stapled to the walls, most of them were of Aften and two guys.   
Some were just of the two guys. Logan spent the time before he fell asleep   
wondering who the other people in the pictures were. He figured they were friends of hers, musicians by the look of the pictures. One was of tall, strongly built, blond haired, blue eyed boy, about fifteen, playing upright bass. Another was of a tall, skinny boy, about the same age, maybe older, wearing a baseball hat, standing next to the drumset that Logan recognized from downstairs, talking to Aften. Threre were about ten other pictures of the three of them together. After looking at the pictures for quite a while, Logan did eventually fall asleep, but it was a restless, dreamless sleep.  
  
TBC  
  
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AN: please read and review. i'm not sure how good this chapter was, i know i rambled on a lot and i'm not sure if any of it is comprehendable. let me know what u think.   
  
  
-peace 


	7. revelations

disclaimer: i really dont own anything of much importance, definatly not DA. 

AN: here's the next part, i'm really not sure how good it is, in my opinion its another boring chapter. so please review and let me know what you think, even if you hate it. also, it has been pointed out to me that i have been inconsistant with Logan and the wheelchair, i apologize...i'll try harder to keep it realistic, (it would annoy the hell out of me if i was reading something where logan was in the chair and then he's walking all of a sudden)  
  
also, updates might be even slower than they have been (i know you didnt think that was possible), a family member, who i am extremely close to was just diagnosed with cancer, and is extremely sick. i'm just not sure how much time i will have to be on the computer.   


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Max woke up with a start, she looked around frantically, trying to get a sense of where she was. She couldn't move because her arms and legs were strapped tightly to the cot on which she lay. She was in a small, dark room, there was one window on the far side, but it was barred. And on the side adjecent to her was a heating vent near the ceiling. But since she was strapped down so tightly, there was no chance of escape right now. 'Where the hell am I?' she thought to herself, and tried to remember what had happened. Last thing she remembered was walking out of Logan's and mounting her bike, then it all went black. 'I wonder when he'll realize I'm not around?' she let her thoughts wander from the situation she was in, but that always happened when she thought of Logan. 'Probably not until the next time he's got an eyes-only thing for me.' she thought kinda sadly, 'or wants to get his ass kicked at chess, or has time for a culinary miracle.' As much as Max tried to deny that she had feelings for Logan, the stronger those feelings became. And sometimes, she couldn't help but think that those feelings were mutual, like when Logan looked into her eyes and smiled, for no reason other than the fact that she was there. 'Those eyes.' Max thought, 'so crystal blue, and sincere.' she paused, 'Get into reality soldier!' she scolded herself mentally for letting her thoughts wander. 'Nothing is ever going to happen between you and Logan, especially if you're locked up somewhere.' she started looking around more, trying to formulate some sort of plan. She tugged at the bonds that held her limbs down, they were tight and strong, she knew she would not be able to break them. 'Besides,' she thought 'even if I do get out of the straps, then i have the two-inch thick steel door, and possibly many guards and soldiers inside the complex.' she assumed that she was in Manticore, or some place similar. She was starting to feel very trapped. After what seemed like an eternity, the door opened and three men entered the room. "I see that you are awake now." the first man said in a thick accent. He was a short man, but powerful looking. Then he turned to the other men and said something to them in a language that Max did not understand.   
"When did Manticore start hiring outsiders?" Max asked   
"Manticore?" the man looked at her and smiled "You are not in Manticore." He spoke some more to the other men.   
"Where am I? What are you saying?" Max asked, she was not in the mood to be left out of conversation that was obviously revolving around her.   
"Nothing of importance," the man threw a fake smile at her "we will be back tomarrow morning to run some tests. My suggestion would be that you cooperate with our plans, It would be easier that way, and less painful I think." The men left and the door slammed behind them, Max put her head down on the cot and started at the ceiling, feeling completley hopeless. 

The drive to Alaska had been fairly silent. Aften was busy with the laptop computer that Logan had brought. She was looking at blueprints and floor plans to the Alasken base, memorizing them. Logan had been silent almost the entire ride, drowning himself in self-pity about the chair. 'I'm going to have to stand by and watch while a person, who is practically a stranger, try to save the one good thing in my life. And there is nothing I can do to help, just sit here.' he was deep in his own thoughts, until Aften decided to break the heavy silence,   
"So, this place is only about a third of the size of Manticore. It shouldn't be all that hard. But I will need you to moniter the survielence cameras, at least until we get out of the building. After that just get the car started and we will have to get as fuckin far away as possible, as quickly as possible."   
"Where will I meet you guys?" he asked   
"I dont know yet. It matters where we go through the perimeter fence. There is a road that runs parrallel to the south side of the fencing, and one thats to the north. We'll definatly meet on one of those roads. We should probably stay in touch, that way I'll let you know the rendevouz point as soon as I have it figured out. I have some comms we can use in my bag."   
"Allright." Logan replied, went silent for about a minute, then asked "We'll get her out right?"  
"I don't see why the hell not." Aften said with alot more confidence than she felt inside.   
"What are they doing to her in there?" Logan asked himself outloud. Aften wasn't sure whether she should answer or not, so she decided to stay silent. "I dont know what I'd do if I lost her now. I know it sounds stupid and sappy, but I don't think I could live without her." He was really just talking out loud to himself now and was surprised when Aften spoke up   
"You know why?" she didn't wait for Logan to think over the question, and answered it herself "It's because you love her." Logan turned to face Aften for a second, he didn't confirm what she had said, but he didn't deny it either. He continued the drive in silence, staring out at the empty road ahead of him and considering what Aften had said. 

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TBC  
  
  
  
so what do you think? is it horrible? I'll try and get one more chapter up before the end of the weekend if anyone wants to read it.   
  
  
  
peace   



	8. evil plots and stratagy

disclaimer: i claim ownership on nothing used in this story with the exception of aften and the plotline.

AN: i have absolutly no idea how long it would take someone to drive to alaska from seattle. so just figure that this segment happened about three or four days after the last chapter. also, all the russian guys that are talking to each other are talking in russian (i know your not stupid, and you already know that, but i just figured i might as well point it out.)  
  
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Two soldiers carried an unconcious Max into her cell, placed her on the cot and strapped her arms and legs down. As they turned to leave, a man in a suit entered the cell. The soldiers stood at attention and saluted. "At ease luitenents." the man said, "How's the prisoner?"  
  
"Very strong willed sir." one soldier replied, "The medic had to use sleeping gas in order to complete the tests because she kept resisting."

"So, the tests are complete?" the man inquired

"Yes sir. The medics are going to send you the results ASAP." the soldier replied

"Thankyou comrades, that will be all." the man nodded at them and the left the room. He looked at Max for a second, made sure the staps were tight, then left and locked the cell door. As he started walking down the almost deserted cooridor, his pager went off. He looked at it, and walked briskly down the next hallway until he reached the door of an office, he knocked once,

"Enter comrade." a voice from inside the room called. The man opened the door and walked into the office. The room was much like any other office, there was a large desk, behind which set an older man, slightly balding, wearing a suit with a hammer and scythe pin on his tie. The walls were bare, except for two portraits, one of VI. Lenin, and the other of Joseph Stalin. "So Petronov, what is your report on the Manticore speciman?" the man behind the desk asked

"The scientists and doctors took a spinal along with a few other tests today. They should be able to determine the format of the girl's DNA, then our scientists should be able to create more prototypes." the man, Petronov, replied.

"Very good." The man behind the desk nodded, "Once we have one, more will follow. In time, we will rebuild our empire, and with the United States out of the picture, there will be no one to stop us from becoming the world superpower." he smiled at Petronov, "You have done good comrade."

"What should I do with the Manticore speciman. The scientists have no use for her anymore, should she be eliminated?" Petronov asked

"No, keep her alive for the moment." the man behind the desk smirked, "I'm sure our scientists in the biochemistry unit will find a use for her, as a test subject for the new strain of VX gas they are working on. It will be more deadly than any chemical weapon ever created, with a LD50 of only five ml, the nervous system accelerates within seconds of exposier, causing death in a minute or a minute and a half." the man paused for a second, "And if it works like expected, even Manticore prototypes, although they are immune to most nerve gases, will not be able to last the intenseness of this weapon. So keep the girl alive, until we can test this on her."

"Yes sir." Petronov smiled and nodded.

"Now go comrade, and tell our weapons specialists that the girl is all theirs." the man waved Petronov out of his office.

  
It was nearing 10:30 pm when Aften steered Logan's Aztec off the main road, and onto a dirt road going deeper into the woods. She stopped the car about 100 yards into the woods, and woke Logan up, "Here we are."   
  
"How far away is the base?" Logan asked

"It's about half a mile in that direction." she pointed to her right, "When I get back out, we will rendevouz on this road."   
  
"Sounds good." Logan said, and booted up his computer. Aften walked out to the trunk of the car and pulled out a black back pack. She opened it and checked the contents, she took out a 9 mm, screwed on a silencer, and placed it in the holster she was wearing. Then she placed a PK-102 assult rifle with five clips into the bag, along with four gas grenades, and a first aid kit. Then she grabbed a black jacket and hat out of the back seat and put them on. She shouldered the bag, and walked back to Logan. "Here," he said, and handed her a com unit, "we can keep touch and I'll let you know when I get into their surviellence cameras to keep watch."  
  
"Cool." Aften placed it in her ear, "Let's get this mother fucker over with." she started to walk away from the car.  
  
"Be careful." Logan said as Aften broke into a steady jog into the woods. 'Please bring her back to me.'   
  
Aften was easily dodging tree roots, rocks, bushes, and any other obsticle. She had never recieved the extensive military training that the X series had, but was silent while she ran, and she had the ability to blend in with the trees. By both nature and design, Aften was quick and decisive. She had never been very strong, for a genetically engineered killing machiene at least, but loved stratagy. And because she knew that her objective seemed almost impossible, she felt like she was in her element.

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TBC

-peace


	9. trapped!

disclaimer: dont sue me, i own nothing

AN: sorry, this chapter's kind of short, i just wanted to get it in tonight.

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After a few minutes, Aften reached the edge of a clearing, and the perimeter fence. She kneeled behind a tree, and got out a small spray bottle of liquid nitrogen. She stayed close to the ground, looking for soldiers guarding the perimeter, or patroling the grounds. After she was positive no one was around, she aproached the fence and sprayed the nitrogen in a square shape, then punched the middle of the square, and it fell out, leaving a hole, just large enough for Aften to step through and get inside. Once on the inside, she started running, staying low and avoiding the one search light that was flashing around the ground. She remembered that there was a ladder on the east side of the building that she could use to get to the roof, so she started to head in that direction. "Aften are you there?" Logan's voice came through the comm in her ear and surprised her, she wasn't used to working with other people.

"I'm here." Aften whispered back

"I was able to hack into the security camera's, there are not too many guards posted around inside. And no one's monitering the screens inside the security room." he informed her  
  
"What about on the roof?" Aften asked   
  
"There are two soldiers by the spotlight." Logan said  
  
"Thanks." Aften said, reaching the ladder started climbing up slowly, staying as close to the building as possible. She peeked her head over the edge of the roof, the two men were facing the opposite way, she quickly took out her 9 mm and one in the back of the head, before the second man realized what had happed, he to had been shot in the head. Both men collapsed onto the roof, and Aften moved quickly. She made her way to the door leading into the complex, and with her gun ready, opened it in one movement. After making sure she was clear, she walked into the narrow stairwell and looked along the walls. She found what she had been looking for, a heating vent. She pulled the screen off, and pulled herself into the vent, closing the screen tightly behind her. She pulled out the blueprints from her bag along with a pencil, she marked the point where she was, and where Max was being kept. Then started to make her way to Max's cell throught the vent system. After fifteen minutes, Aften was at the screen on Max's cell wall. Aften opened it, just slightly to see if there was anyone other than Max in the cell, a guard perhaps. When she realized that Max was alone, Aften let herself drop down into the cell. Aften started undoing the straps that held her arms and legs down, when Logan's voice came through the earpiece,

"They noticed the dead soldiers on the roof, I think they are going to sound the alarm. Do you have Max?" no sooner had he spoken, than an alarm started blaring throughout the complex,

"Fuck!" Aften excalimed, then spoke to Logan "Max is unconcious, I'm going to try and get her out the way I came in."   
  
"Get her out of there!" Logan yelled.  
  
"Come on, come on." Aften muttered, then hit Max across the face, Max stirred a little, but not much. Aften despretly, pushed Max up into the vent, and climbed in with her. Then closed the screen. She pushed Max deeper into the venting system, into complete darkness. 

"Where are you? Are you okay?" Logan's worried voice came through the earpiece again

"I'm in a venting system, with your girlfriend, who's unconcious." Aften replied sarcastically, "It's like a vacation in the sun. Give me a few minutes to figure out how to get out of here before they realize where we are and gas us out." 

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TBC

AN: so was that okay? i rewrote it about a million times, but nothing sounded right, so i went with my first draft. 

-peace


	10. escape

disclaimer: i own nothing of importance

Logan sat in his car, staring at his computer screen and feeling completely helpless. He was watching the soldiers run through the halls to their posts, but was involved in deep thoughts about Max, and self pity. "Not only am I 100% useless physically,' he thought, completely devestated and convinced that there was no way Max could get out alive, 'I'm a moron. Trusting sixteen year old that I barley know, who seems very bipolar and mainically depressed, with the life of the only person I could ever care about. Nothing good could've come out of that.' His thoughts were interrupted by Aften's voice coming through the earpiece, 

"Logan? You there?" 

"I'm right here." Logan replied, 'Where else would I be? Rolling through the woods?' 

"Listen, Max is starting to come around, but we're still stuck in the airshaft. I dont think we can go much further in here though, because it starts to get pretty fucking narrow. What's going on inside the complex?" 

Logan studied the boxes on his computer, watching soldiers moving from place to place, "They're searching for you," he replied, "They haven't found out that Max is gone yet, but it wont be long."   
"Allright." Aften replied, "Do us a favor, and check the blueprints, look for a way out other than the front door, cause i'm guessing they'll have that covered."   
  
"Okay," Logan said, "Hold on a sec, and I'll look for you."   
  
Max started stirring, and slowly opened her eyes. She was in a subconsious state, and had no clue where she was. She was in pain all over, but a sharp, blinding pain in her back almost overwhelmed her. "Logan?" she whispered, her hearing had been able to pick up the sound of Logan's voice in Aften's earpiece, and thought he was near by. 

"Nice of you to wake up." Aften replied 

"Where am I?" Max jerked her head around to face Aften, who had obviously surprised her   
"In an air vent." Aften stated matter of factly 

"Is Max awake?" Logan's voice came through the earpiece again 

"Kind of." Aften replied 

"What do you mean, kind of?" Logan asked worridley 

"Are you talking to Logan?" Max inquiered 

"Well, she's awake and talking, but i'm not sure how mobile she is." Aften answered Logan first, and nodded at Max. "Can you move?" she asked Max 

"Yes." Max replied, as if to prove her point, she sat upright slowly. The stabbing pain in her back increased, and she became more aware of the pain in her arms and neck as well. 

"I guess she can move." Aften told Logan 

"Good, because I found a way for you guys to get out." Logan said "There is a loading bay to the south of the complex, its only connected by a long tunnel. The security cameras show only one soldier in the loading bay, and none in the tunnel. If you can make it to the loading bay, then you will be 100 yards from the south perimeter fence, we can rendevouz there." 

"How do we get to the tunnel?" Aften asked 

"Well, the enterence is in the sub-basement." Logan replied, "Most of the soldiers are on the top two floors, because that's where they last saw you on camera. But there are three in the hallway on the first floor, and two in the hallway of the sub-basement. At least that I can see. "   
  
"Well, we should probably get this thing over soon, and get the fuck out of here ASAP, so tell me exactly where all the guys are posted on the first floor, and how i get to the sub-basement." Aften said. Logan gave her all the information she wanted, while she went through her bag. She pulled out two of the gas grenades, and slung the PK-102 over her shoulder. She motioned for Max to take the 9mm, but Max shook her head. Then they crawled to a vent that would let them out into the hallway, Aften slowly and quietly opened the vent, and looked down the hall. The three guards were exactly as Logan said they would be, at the end of the hall, with their backs turned to Aften and Max. Aften pulled the pin from one of the grenades, and from inside the vent, threw it so it landed right behind the three guards. Them men immediatly started coughing and collapsed in a heap. Aften motioned for Max to hold her breath and follow. Aften lightly lept from the vent and landed on the ground six feet below, Max more or less fell out of the vent, and landed on her hands and knees, wincing in pain, but keeping her mouth tightly shut, to avoid breathing in any gas. She limped behind Aften to the stairwell, and followed her down a flight of stairs. Before they entered the sub-basement level, Logan's voice came through the earpiece,   
  
"The two guards are on opposite sides of the hall, one to your right about three yards away, and one to your left, about ten yards away." Aften stayed silent, and motioned for Max to stay where she was. Then approaching the door that would lead her to the sub-basement, she checked the clip on her weapon. She swung the door open quickly and shot before looking, to the right, then to the left, assuming the men would be where Logan had said they would be. She heard both men groan and collapse, so she entered the hallway. She was shocked when a bullet lodged itself in her arm, the man to her left had been hit, but not killed. Aften unloaded the rest of the clip on that man until she was sure he was dead. Then ignoring the pain in her arm, went back and helped Max to her feet. They walked slowly and silently through the tunnel, Aften lending support to Max, who was about ready to collapse. Aften put Max against the wall of the tunnel and let her rest for a second, while she went ahead. 

"Where exactly is this man in the loading bay?" she asked Logan 

"He's leaning against the far wall, looking out on the woods. His back is to the tunnel, so you shouldnt have a problem getting him." he replied, and he was right. Aften easily took him out, then went to help Max continue. 

"Are you in position at the south gate?" Aften asked 

"Yeah," Logan said "There's a road here, it must be used for trucks, or whatever use the loading bay. I shot the lock on the gate, so just push it when you reach it." 

"Allright." Aften replied, "Leave the keys in the ignition and get in the back seat. I'll drive, you need to take care of Max, she's not doing to hot." 

"OK." Logan replied, and crawled into the back seat. 'She's not doing to hot? That's not like Max, what the hell did they do to her?' his mind was filled with horrible images of what they might have put her through. 

"ETA's two minutes." Aften told Logan. Max and she were using the trees as cover and going slowly towards the gate. 

"There they go!" the sound of a guard's yell from the loading bay, a group of men running, and screaming bullets pushed Aften and Max into making a run for it. 

"Open the door!" Aften called to Logan, who as asked swung the back door open. Max practically collapsed on top of him and Aften lept into the front seat, and sped off leaving the men and bullets in the dust. 


	11. road home

disclaimer: nothing's changed since last chapter, i still own nothing

  
Everyone held their breath until Aften had steered the car onto the main road and was headed towards the highway. Logan had helped Max into the seat next to him and was looking at her with concern, "Are you okay?" he asked her.   
"Yeah," Max replied slowly, trying not to wince at the sharp pain in her back. But Logan noticed the red stain slowly spreading across her shirt,   
"Max, you're bleeding." He said, "Let me take a look." Max nodded, she was not in the mood to argue. Logan pulled up the back of her shirt to reveal a long horizantil cut, running parrelell to her spine. Max had reopened it during the escape, and now it was gushing blood. He winced just looking at it, "Let me find some peroxide and I'll clean the cut for you." He went through the black bookbag that Aften had brought until he found the first aid kit. He took the peroxide and some bandages, and went to work cleaning the cut. After that he looked her over, that was the only major cut he could see, but there were plenty of scars on her arms from needles, and large purple bruises where the needle had made a vein collapse. "What did they do to you?" Logan asked quietly, but Max had fallen asleep. She felt completley safe next to Logan, her head resting on his shoulder. He pulled her closer to him and put an arm around her, just happy to have her back, but genuinly worried about her condition. She looked horrible, not only phyisically, but her eyes were glazed and she only had looked semi-consious while she was awake. Logan was worried that she was going to go into a coma.   
"How's she doing?" Aften asked from the front seat   
"Not good." Logan replied "Do you have any idea what kind of tests they did in there?"   
"Not a clue." Aften replied, "We're going to have to stop in about an hour to get gas, and I need to bandage my arm just so i dont ruin the interior of your car." she made a goofy grin, "anyway, when i stop, i'll look up the files and we'll see what they used her for."   
"Alright." Logan said, and he leaned back in his seat. Max leaned closer to him in her sleep, it made Logan feel good that she felt secure enough with him to lean on him, so he let down his guard and pulled her even closer and rested his head on hers. Aften looked back at them through the mirror, 'just friends...lets see how much longer that'll hold out.'   
After a while, Aften pulled into a gas station. She scanned the area, then stepped out of the car to strech her legs. She grabbed the gauze from the backseat, and wrapped up her arm, 'good thing   
the bullet wasn't too deep.' she thought to herself. then she sat back down and opened up the laptop. She typed furiously for a few minutes, then stopped and started reading the screen. Logan woke up from the back seat. "Did you find anything?" he asked   
"She was being used to test different types of nerve gases." Aften replied. "They injected her   
with a strain of VX gas about two hours before we arrived."   
"It's not..." Logan paused and looked at Max who was still asleep next to him   
"No it's not lethal, at least not for her." Aften replied, "VX gas speeds up the nervous system until the heart gives out. Max's enhanced genetics slow down all her metabolism, and release other   
enzymes, almost counteracting the gas. She'll be fine, just kind of tired for a while.   
"Thankgod." Logan breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Max.   
"I'm going to get some gas. Then we'll get the fuck out of here." Aften said   
"Good idea." Logan replied leaning back in his seat again.   
  



	12. ch 12

disclaimer: i dont own max or logan, plus i own nothing valuable, so don't sue.  
  


Max pulled up to the darkened warehouse, she looked again at the piece of paper where Logan had written Aften's address, she was in the right place. Logan had offered to go with her, he had been so sweet since she had gotten back, he hadn't left Max's side throughout her recovery, and   
catered to her every need. But Max had wanted to go by herself to thank Aften for her help. She walked up to the door and knocked, there was no answer so she tried the door knob. It wasn't locked so she walked in. The sound of soft blues being played on the piano flowed into her ears. Aften was sitting at an old piano in the corner next to the computer. She had her eyes closed, and her fingers slid gracefully across the keyboard with a practiced ease. "Hey." Aften called, continuing to play   
"Hi." Max replied quickly, Aften had caught her off guard, she hadn't made any noise walking in and didn't think that Aften had noticed.   
"Don't forget I'm an X-series too." Aften said, practically reading Max's mind "I have advanced senses just like you."   
"What are you playing?" Max asked   
"Dunno. I'm making it up as I play." Aften said, finishing the piece unresolved with a few half diminished chords. Then she turned to Max. "How're you feeling? You were pretty fucked up when I left you with Logan."   
"I'm pretty good now, there's still a little pain in my back especially, but i'm a quick healer, so i should be totally healed in a few days." Max replied.   
"That's good." Aften said, "You know Logan was really worried about you."   
'He was worried about me?' she thought, "Oh, we're good friends." Max replied quickly, then changed the subject. "Thanks alot for risking your ass to come in after me."   
"No problem," Aften replied "If i hadn't, Logan would've, then I wouldv'e been responsible for the death of five people."   
"Five people?" Max asked curiously   
"Three of them were killed a month ago." Aften looked at the ground and started playing piano again   
"Oh." Max said not quite sure what to say, she looked around at the room and noticing all the other instruments scattered around the room asked "So you play other instruments too?"   
"Guitar, bass, piano, thats it." Aften replied   
"Whats the drum set for then?" Max asked   
"It belonged to a friend." Aften replied, the chords she was playing were mostly minor by now, giving the song a sad tone.   
"Well, you're good at piano." Max said changing the subject again, wondering what exactly was the matter with Aften.   
"Thanks." Aften stopped playing, grabbed a pack of Camels from the top of the piano and lit one. She offered one to Max, who shook her head   
"No thanks." she replied "Bad for your health."   
"Alright," Aften nodded her head, "Can I offer you a drink? I just scored a case of Canadian beer."   
"That sounds great." Max followed Aften into the kitchen. Aften tossed a bottle to Max, who caught it. "Thanks." Max replied   
"You ever been to the Casa Bar?" Aften asked   
"No," Max shook her head, "I've seen it though, its down the street from Crash."   
"Yeah," Aften nodded, "its like Crash, just it has alot of live entertainment, usually jazz. I'm playing there tomarrow night, you and Logan should come."   
"Sure sounds good." Max replied "I'll have to drag Logan out of his fortress of solitude."   
"Aww, it'll do him good to get out a little. Plus drinks are on me tomarrow, the bartender there gives me them for free when i play."   
"Well that must seal the deal." Max laughed   
"Hell yeah." Aften laughed along with Max   
"So, Zach broke you out huh?" Max asked   
"Yeah. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful. But that is one mother fucking control freak. He stopped contact with me because I became close friends with some people." She paused for a second, "You know the funny thing is that he was right about my situation. I was a threat to them, but not for the same reasons he thought."   
"Zach stopped talking to me too." Max replied, "I wouldn't leave Seattle, so when he split, he   
didn't give me any means of contacting him."   
"What're you going to do, the man's crazy." Aften smiled   
"Yeah," Max replied, "Thanks for the drink, but I'm going to be going. I'll definatly stop by the Casa Bar and see you tomarrow night."   
"Great, see you then." Aften replied   
  
Max walked out into the cold night and mounted her motorcycle. She started the engine and drove away. 'Funny how comfortable I felt talking to Aften. I guess she's like a little sister, she was an X-6. Poor kid though, slightly bipolar. I wonder what's got her so depressed, something to do with those three who died probably.' After a little while, her thoughts shifted inevitably to Logan 'She said he was worried about me. The way he's been treating me lately, I wonder if we could be more than friends. No,' she told herself 'he just wants to be friends.' then she drove aimlessly for a little, and eventually ended up at Logan's. She walked up to his penthouse and let herself in, "Knock   
knock." she called, "Savior of the world got anything to eat?" Logan wheeled in,   
"Possibly." he replied giving her that smile that drove her crazy, "I'll check the fridge."   
"Great." Max said "By the way, Aften's playing at the Casa Bar tomarrow night at ten, she invited us to come listen. And for free drinks."   
"That sounds good." Logan replied and started to prepare some pasta for dinner. In a half an hour both were sitting across from each other enjoying another culinary miricle. Logan had to stop himself from staring at her face all night, he was just so happy to have her back. 


	13. happy endings

disclaimer: nothings changed, still dont own DA, i do however own Aften. also, the songs that i used in this very fluffy chapter with hardly any plot are both by Bob Dylan.

  
AN: Thanks alot for the feedback, and thankyou to Michelle DRAKE who betaed all of this before i posted it, without her help you guys would be reading gibberish.

The Casa Bar was a small tavern like bar, tables were scattered in no particular order throughout the room. There was a small platform that served as a stage in one corner oposite the bar. Aften was standing next to the bar talking with the bartender when she saw Max and Logan enter, "Hey!" she called across the fairly small room, and motioned for Max and Logan to join her.  
"Nice place." Logan said looking around  
"Yeah, I like it better than Crash." Aften nodded "It's a different crowd, a more artistic, idealistic crowd."  
"Idealistic huh?" Max looked at Logan, "Well I don't know if I could stand more than one idealist at a time."   
"Right," Logan cracked a smile at her "idealists are a pain in the ass, we should all be as synical as you."  
"Not synical, realistic." Max hit Logan lightly on the shoulder and smiled back at him.  
'A blind man could see that they are into each other as much more than friends.' Aften thought, then spoke to the bartender "Hey, Chris, I'm gonna start my set. Put these people's drinks on my tab." then she walked up to the mic on the stage and started bantering with a few people at the table directly in front of her before starting to play.   
"So how do you guys know Aft?" Chris, the bartender set a pitcher of beer and two glasses on the bar in front of Max and Logan.  
"We met a few weeks ago." Max replied, "And we figured we'd come hear her play."  
"She's good." Chris said, "She used to play guitar for a band. They gigged here every wednesday night."  
"Really?" Logan said inquieringly, he had been curious about Aften's past since he met her. He figured a talkative bartender was as good a source of info as any.   
"Yeah, they were good." Chris nodded "Jazz rythem mainly, Aft played rythem guitar and sang. A few Dylan covers and other pre-pulse stuff. But the most amazing were the stuff that started as little jams that they pulled out of nowhere, then Aft would ad lib lyrics and turn it into a really good song."   
"Why don't they play here anymore?" Logan asked  
"Aft's the only one left?" Chris shook his head sadly "The drummer and bass player got shot to death after a late night gig at a bar just outside Portland. It's a real shame, those guys had alot of talent, they wouldv'e been able to make a good living for themselves, even in today's economy."   
"Who shot them?" Logan asked  
"I have no clue." Chris said matter of factly, "Aft's the only one who witnessed it, and every time I asked her, she shook her head said something about 'Russian mother fuckers'. Maybe it was the Russain mafia?" Chris ventured a guess  
"Maybe." Logan said, then Chris went to talk to some other people who just walked in. "Want to sit at a table?" Logan asked Max  
"Sure." Max grabbed the pitcher and glasses and followed Logan to a table. "Think it was those Commies that killed her friends?" Max asked Logan when they sat down.  
"Positive of it." Logan said, but they let the subject drop and enjoyed the music. Overall Aften put on a good show, a guy at the front table kept requesting various songs, most of which Aften played. After a while Max and Logan slipped into a comfortable silence, listening to the music and sneaking looks at each other while the other wasn't looking. After at least two hours, Aften was finishing up her set,   
"Well, these songs," Aften said "these last two songs that I'm gonna wrap up with, were written by Bob Dylan." Aften strummed a few intro chords before starting to sing,  
  
*We have got to come together  
How long can we stay apart?  
You may get it maybe never  
But this is coming from th heart.  
Your mind is filled with indecision  
You can't make up your mind.  
We must get in in position  
And move it on down the line.*  
  
Max looked away from Aften and glanced at Logan, who was looking at her. 'Why's he looking at me like that?' Max asked herself. There eyes met for a second, then they both looked away.  
  
*And the road is long, it's a long hard climb  
I been on that road for too long of a time.  
Yes the road is long, and it winds and winds,  
If i think of this love, that I'm leaving behind.  
  
Don't talk to me about tomarrow,  
'cause i really don't care.  
This home is filled with too much sorrow  
That nobody's heart should bear.  
Someone else has hurt you honey,  
why mush I pay for that part?  
Our love can't be bought with money,  
'cause it's coming from the heart.*  
  
Max was studying her feet, 'I'm not in heat, am I?' She thought to herself, trying to make sense of her feelings. She could feel Logan's eyes on her, and that wasn't helping her figure things out.  
  
*Please, please give me indication,  
stop and talk to me.  
Like a river that is flowing,  
My love will never cease to be.*  
  
Logan almost suddenly became aware that he had been staring at Max throughout the entire song, but he had the craziest feeling that Max had been thinking about him too. 'Must have had a little too much beer.' he thought to himself, 'She'd never think about me romantically, I'm a goddamn cripple.' But as Max looked up at him and their eyes met, whatever previous sense of reason he had left flew straight out the window. He wheeled himself closer to where Max was sitting and reached out to hold her hand, as soon as he touched her his voice of reason kicked in again, 'What the hell am I thinking?' he thought, 'She's never going to speak to me again.' But to his surprise, Max didn't pull away, instead she rested her head on his shoulder. Both of them were thinking about how right it felt, just sitting there so close to one another.  
  
*When the rain is blowing in your face,  
and the whole world is on your case,  
I could offer you a warm embrace,  
to make you feel my love.  
When evening shatteres and the stars appear,  
and there is no one there to dry your tears,  
I could hold you for a million years,  
to make you feel my love.  
I know you haven't made your mind up yet,  
but i could never do you wrong  
I've known it from the moment that we met,  
no doubt in my mind where you belong.  
I could make you happy make your dreams come true,  
there's nothing that I wouldn't do,  
go to the ends of the earth for you,  
to make you feel my love.*  
  
  
  
  
  
THE END  
  
  
so, finnaly i finished this, i wonder how many of u are still reading at this point, if u are one of those few people who made it to the end of this "story", let me know what u thought about it. also, i'm thinking about doing a prequel about Aften's life after her escape until the beginning of this story, i dont know though, so let me know what u think of that idea too.


End file.
